Tigers and Badminton
by Ichigo to Hana
Summary: A trip on a yacht towards some unknown dragon territory can be really boring. At least that's what the tigers, especially Kishan, find out. What would be a better solution than playing something? So Kishan decides, he wants to play with Kelsey for a while.


**9**

 _So this is the ninth door of our christmas project. Hope you'll enjoy this bitter-sweet one shot of Kelsey and her tigers, whom I unfortunately don't own. Oh, and don't forget to send a PM with the answer to today's riddle. It's really easy this time, I promise. Have fun ^^_

 **Tigers and Badminton**

A few days have passed by since we dropped Wes and nothing special has happened so far. I didn't even keep track of the time gone by, as I was too occupied with entertaining my tigers. Although Ren had kept his distance, just as he had promised, causing the tiger lilies my heart had desperately tried to save to ultimately wither. However I now was wit Kishan… Somehow…

I sighed, as I leaned back in my chair on deck of the Deschen. _Without my white tiger it feels, as if a part of my soul is missing… Though Kishan does his best to keep me distracted and Mr. Kadam and Nilima are always there to help me._ Speaking of which. Mr. Kadam and Nilima were still in the Captain's cabin to discuss our route. Mr. Kadam had promised me to join me as soon, as he had dealt with the problem of planning a route to no one knows where. We wanted to go through the prophecy again, just to make sure I remembered everything correctly. However he still had to come and Nilima was generally rarely seen on the yacht without heading to another meeting either with the Captain or in the kitchen and helping where she could.

"Hello _bilauta_ ", a purring voice said. "Any chance you'd play with us tigers?" I looked over my shoulder to see the brothers watching me from close by. _Ren did actually leave his hiding place? How did Kishan manage to do this?_ My tiger's black hair hangs loose, falling over his glittering golden orbs. He wore a red shirt with matching shorts, which hugged his toned body perfectly. His eyes roamed over my body, clearly liking the shorts and top I wore. Ren on the other hand stared at a point above my head instead of looking at me. He wore a blue shirt that matched his stunning cobalt eyes. The lips I had kissed so desperately no two weeks ago were drawn in a thin line, as he swept his long hair out of his eyes. The sun lit both brothers until their skin shone and made them look like ancient gods. I shook my head: _Calm down girl. Ren doesn't want to be with you anymore. No matter how much it pains you, you have to go on. Furthermore Kishan asked you a question you still need to answer._

"What do you want to play?", I forced my concentration from the sight in front of me. "How does Badminton sound?", Kishan grinned at me with a predatory gleam in his eyes. I arched my brows: "Badminton? Do you even know how to play that?"

"It can't be that hard to hit a ball over a net. As easy as making us tigers purr for you, kitten.", Kishan winked at me and I instantly blushed. Ren rolled his eyes: "Are we going to play Badminton or have you changed your mind, brother?"

"Don't be rude, Dhiren.", Kishan told his brother. "Kelsey is not any woman. And you know that as well as I do." I tried to hide my feelings behind a bright smile. Ren's gorgeous face was wiped clean of any emotion, which was driving me crazy. I had always seen him smile and flirt or at least look at me. But now? I was just another notch in his belt. He was long gone when he met me in that godforsaken camp, as we saved him from Lokesh. _Ever since then he had been lost for me. I knew he was trouble, but now I lie on the cold hard ground and only now I am finally accepting the truth…_ The fear that always had been present since I fell for Ren crept into my consciousness: _What, if he never loved me?_ I shook my head to get rid of the unwelcome thoughts. _But I still have Kishan and all my friends… Just not the one man that is able to make my heart stutter with one look._

"Kelsey?", Kishan placed a hand on my shoulder, successfully snapping me out of my daze. I looked up into his worried golden orbs. He was too sweet, so I gave him another smile. A real one this time. "Sure. Let's play Badminton.", I nodded my head in agreement. "Though I have to warn you. I am not very good at it."

"No problem. We are beginners as well", Kishan pulled me out of the chair and into a short embrace. He stroked a hand through my hair. "You should wear it loose more often.", he told me. "It looks really good on you. Especially cut short. I like that." I pull away, grab onto his hand and allow him to lead me towards the place the brothers prepared a net to play, Ren trailing behind us.

* * *

The ball flew over the net and right towards Kishan. He hit it with force, causing the small white ball to swish while coming back at me. Unfortunately he was by far taller than me, so I had to stretch and hop around to catch them. I did hit this especially mean one right above my head in mid air, however I turned the racket and the ball sailed right over the railing of the Deschen. "Oh no!", I gasped. Without realising how futile it was, I ran to the side of the yacht and stared into the blue depths of the ocean. Of course the ball was nowhere to be seen. But the colour reminded me of my white tiger, as I found myself unable to look away from it. Kishan strode up beside me: "Are you looking for something in particular?"

"The ball fell into the sea. I am so sorry…"

"You are too sweet _bilauta_. To worry about such an insignificant thing."

"Without a ball we can't play, remember?"

Kishan grinned at me. "Kelsey, do not worry.", he pulled a small white object from his shorts. "I've got a spare one. Now: Would you do me the honour to play another round of Badminton with me?"

"Yes, I will", I responded. Ren groaned in the background: "I now pronounce you players. Now, would you care to go on with your game? Kishan is one point away from finally pulling this off and I'm getting bored here." My eyes fell onto the white tiger, who sat at the sidelines. "You don't have to wait there the whole time. We can call for you, when we're finished.", I told him bluntly. Ren tilted his head back. "At least then I wouldn't have to see you missing the ball each time Kishan hits it so it flies too high for you to catch.", his blue eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "Maybe there is some peanut butter left. It tastes so delicious." _That hurt._ I knew perfectly well he was alluding to my birthday and everything that had happened afterwards. Ren had refused to smell my scent he had formerly entitled as peaches and cream. He preferred peanut butter now. My temper snapped, my sense of self-defence bringing forward my harsh attitude.

"Don't worry mister", I told him. "Only Kishan is going to play with you. I don't play with bores."

"Says the woman, who ran after a shadow of her past for far too long.", Ren countered, giving me a small peek of the man I once loved. A sudden pain forced all the air to leave my lungs. _I knew you were trouble when you walked in… Here we were at the beginning again. We were fighting over literally everything. And the worst of all is, that Ren can only hurt me like that because I let him read my diary and got back together with him for a while until he refused to deal with me any longer._ Ren with his still blocked memory knew how to stab me in the back, as if nothing ever happened.

"Kishan?", I didn't turn around. "Would you mind, if I quit this game and you two go on alone?"

"Of course not. Get some rest Kelsey.", my black tiger pulled me in for a short kiss. And although his golden eyes told me he wanted to leave with me, Kishan understood, that I needed some private time. I shoved my racket into Ren's arms and forced myself to walk slowly away from the brothers instead of running. A single tear rolled down my cheek. There was nothing else left for me to cry over Ren. Yes, I was with Kishan. Yes, I was more than happy about it. But it hurt as hell to see my ex-boyfriend, the man I secretly hoped to keep for the rest of my life, playing my emotions, hurting me on purpose. _Ren is just trying to keep you away from him. He seems to think it's more save, if you are with Kishan._ , a small voice in the back of my head whispered. I snorted at her: _Sure. As if. Damn super hero-complex! The thing with Ren was a fairy tale, a once upon a time. He pretends he doesn't know he is the reason why I am drowning only Kishan is able to keep me afloat._

* * *

I took a seat on the deck over the field the tigers had prepared for Badminton. It was simply easier than walking all around the ship and risking meeting someone else on the way. _I couldn't cope with Mr. Kadam or Nilima trying to cheer me up. I want to be left alone to think._ So I took a seat in one of the chairs and turned the sunshade until it cast its shadows over my body.

A sudden exhaustion took control of my body. The constant tautness, the stress from seeing Ren first with another woman and then going back to ignoring me for good, as well as the over all tension that was simply caused by our mission and its importance finally took its toll. Bit by bit everything around me slowed down until my head fell back against the back of the chair. I was so very tired.

"Oh poor unfortunate soul!", Ren laughed.

 _"Missed the ball so it flew,_

 _flew quite high and fell,_

 _fell even farther below to the sea_

 _which roams the earth."_

Kishan growled in response: "Do not dare to speak like that to me, brother."

"Why not? You know I always liked poems." Kishan snorted in response. _I am gone and they have fun. At least they get along better._

"Do you have another ball?", Ren questions. "Of course I do. Get ready to loose, big brother." Ren laughed and my heart ached for it wasn't directed at me, but at my absence. "I wouldn't bet in it Kishan.", he informed the black tiger. I couldn't help but smile to myself. Just like any other pair of siblings in the world the Indian princes were battling whenever there was a chance. _I wish I had had the opportunity to bicker with a sibling of my own like that…_ , I sighed. _Well, at least Mom had the luck to receive me after they had tried for so long without success._ I leaned back in my chair, resting my head on my arm, listening to the roaring of my tigers until it lulled me to sleep, despite everything that had happened.

* * *

 **Riddle** : Which song is alluded to in this short story? (BTW I don't own it)

Please solve the riddle via a PM so no one can cheat.

 _Also check out the other short stories we have uploaded so far. In order:_

 _1 The Lord of the kitchen_

 _2 The tale of the handsome commander_

 _3 Miroku's wish list_

 _4 Dream beaches_

 _5 How to not freeze to death_

 _6 Surpirse_ _surprise_

 _7 I'm going into town, Tomoe_

 _8 No one ever calls me to simply drink coffee_


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